Orihime & the Cloak of Deerskin
by Magdalena88
Summary: Orihime is a princess who runs away from her kingdom. In her new home she meets Prince Ichigo. Based on the Fairy Tale Donkeyskin. Rated T because of certain themes
1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time there was a loving couple who were a king and queen. They're names were Aki and Aika Inoue. They had 2 beautiful children named Sora and Orihime. Sora was the elder sibling and heir to the throne due being the first born male while Orihime was the younger daughter. The family lived happily for many years and ruled their Kingdom justly.

But that happiness was cut short because Queen Aki soon fell ill with the plague and nobody anything except ease her last days on Earth. Before dying she asked her loving husband this "Dear husband I am not long for this world but I don't want to stop your happiness so promise that you will only marry again if find a woman as beautiful as me."

"I promise my dear wife" he replied.

With that she said thank you and died peacefully with a smile on her face. The funeral was a grand event the people mourned their beloved queen but her family most of all. King Aki tried to fill his late wife request but could not since he could not find one woman one beautiful than late queen . Neither peasant nor noble could match his late wife's beauty and wisdom. At least until his daughter turned 17 and he then realized that Orihime was a near splitting image of her mother. Now I say near splitting image because while her queen mother had brown eyes her daughter had gray.

When the king noticed this he made a grave decision of marrying Orihime. Now we must understand that grief makes people do crazy things and that also the queen really meant to ask him to never remarry but felt too ashamed to ask that of him personally. When Sora heard his father speak of this he was outraged.

"But father God has forbidden a man to marry women within his family."

"My son and only heir only in marrying my daughter can I fill your mother's dying wish."

"But father that is not what she really meant to say she meant-"Sora could not finish his sentence because father stormed out. Thus Sora knew his father had made up his mind.

Orihime was playing with a cat family she found yesterday. The mother had given birth on the castle grounds when she found them. She decided to name the mother Sweetie and the kittens Cuddles, Stripy, and Chocolate. Suddenly she became distracted when her father entered her room. With one question "Dear Daughter do you love me?"

"Of course I do" she replied.

"Then it is settled we shall marry as soon as possible"

All Orihime could say is "eh"

The princess was still confused by what her father had said and went to her consult her brother. She entered her brother's study and was about to open her mouth but Sora interrupted her.

"I suppose you already heard father decree?"

Orihime only nodded yes.

"I'm afraid to tell you that this is all true" Sora said sadly.

She gasped and then asked "Why?"

"It was due to mother's dying request that he only marry a woman more beautiful than her and that woman turned out to be you."

She could only feel sorrow for her father's loss but she didn't want to marry him. But still she was determined to escape her father's clutches. So she went to her Fairy Godmother Rangiku to see if she could help her. Fairy Godmother Rangiku had been expecting her and already of her troubles.

"Dear I shall help you escape this situation but must promise me that you will do as I say"

"I promise" Orihime said with determination.

Godmother Rangiku told Orihime to request a dress as silvery as the moon and only than would she marry. Unfortunately her father succeeded in this request. This time she was told to ask for a dress as golden as the sun. Again her father was successful. Finally she was told by her Godmother to ask for a dress as glittery as the stars and cloak made from the finest stag. After her requests were fulfilled she was to run away to a kingdom that was by the coast. Orihime took only her dresses, a golden spool, her hairpins, and a ring filled with diamonds. As she donned her cloak of deerskin she said goodbye to the land she knew.

As she was walking away she noticed that the cat family she found sneaked into her basket. Grateful for the company she walked many miles and sometimes hitchhiked. At last she reached the kingdom by sea after a month of travelling. She found a nice cool patch of grass to lie in until suddenly she was disturbed by horses running. Then she felt someone grab her and she struggled to get away.

"You girl what is your name and what are doing here?" The soldier asked.

"You may call me Deerskin and I am just a poor orphan trying to find her place in the world"

The soldier was moved by her story and offered a job in the kitchen as scullery maid. Due to fact that prince was returning from a triumphant battle there was a ball to be held celebrating their victory. So my dear listeners our Princess Orihime now called Deerskin was to help prepare for it by sweeping ashes and helping prepare the food. But as you know the kitchen is not always friendly to new comers and our heroine was treated cruelly the other scullery maids and the head cook. It often made the princess wonder if she would ever find happiness someday but the cat family that followed her gave her a reminder that things could always get better. And so she was proven right on the day she saw the prince who arguing with his parents.

"I don't see why you have to marry me off Father I am only 17" The prince roared.

"Now, Ichigo your father wants to step off from the throne and the kingdom's law demand that you must marry before he can do so" The Queen Mother interjected.

"Fine, Mother but it probably take a while till I can find someone compatible" He sighed.

"Me and your Father understand now hurry and prepare for the ball"

As he walked away from his parents he noticed our beloved Deerskin sweeping the ashes away.

"Hello there are you n-n-new here?" Ichigo stuttered.

All she could do was smile and reply yes. With that they both went along their way. "He's so handsome "she thought to herself. She went to her hovel and thought of way to get to the ball. Soon her pets showed the dresses that she had bought with her. The question was how she could find a way to get into the ball.

This story is based on the Fairy Tale Donkeyskin collected by Charles Perrault. It is about a Princess whose father wants to marry her because she looks like her dead mother. Since this fairy tale was not so well known I thought I would write ichihime fanfic based on it.

Don't worry readers of my other stories this probably only going to be three to four chapters. I just had to get this idea out of my head before it took over.


	2. Chapter 2

Orihime tried on her slivery dress at her hovel far from the castle grounds. It matched perfectly with her eyes. Although she still had to find a way to get to the ball and then it hit her. If she worked hard enough she could get a chance to sneak out and dress for the ball. Suddenly Sweetie nuzzled her leg and gave a cute "Meow".

Later in the kitchen

"Deerskin I have no time to make the bread soup so you will have to make it" said the Head Cook.

This moment than gave Orihime the opportunity to ask if she could go to the ball. "Please, Mistress after I make the bread soup may I go see the ball"

"Only if you manage to finish all your duties may I allow you" the Head Cook said.

"Oh, I will" Orihime said cheerfully with a smile.

While she was making the bread soup she dreamed of Prince Ichigo and wondered how she could get to know him better. Than a thought struck her maybe she could put one of her items to give as a gift to the Prince. She put the golden spool in bread soup after it was done cooking. Soon she was off sweeping the ashes.

Indeed she did manage to finish all her duties and make the bread soup and thus was allowed to go see the ball. She dressed herself in the dress as slivery as the moon and along with it she held her late mother's necklace which was a gold diamond studded heart engraved with the words "Love is Found in the Most Unexpected Places". Once that was done she merrily made her way to the ball.

At The Ball

Prince Ichigo sighed because so far not one girl at this ball interested him. He knew the laws of the Kingdom said the he must marry before he can take the crown but it still annoyed that his father was playing matchmaker with these balls that were to go on for three nights. "I mean why couldn't he wait until I fell in love over time rather me marry so suddenly" He thought.

As soon he was about to leave he then saw a girl enter with auburn hair dressed in slivery ball gown. It was as if the moon had come down from heaven to be here. He approached her with a goofy smile and held his hand for her. She accepted it and they started the dance.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"I cannot tell you right now for reasons that are best not discussed at not yet" she replied sadly.

"Then tell me what I can call you?"

"You may call me just Hime for the moment."

They danced for what seemed like an eternity until Orihime noticed that it was getting late. She ran away from him reluctantly and found a secret passage way in she left unnoticed.

"Guards tell me if see a woman in a dress the color of the slivery moon?" Ichigo yelled.

"No your Highness we haven't" One of the guards said.

Ichigo sighed at the fact and then went to the banquet hall to have dinner. As you know our runaway princess had one of Prince's favorite foods which is bread soup and such I will tell you what happened next. He was presented the bread soup when he was finished he found the gold spool. Needless to say he was surprised and immediately called for the head cook.

"Tell me who made this soup?" He asked sternly.

"It was Deerskin my Lord" she answered simply.

"Dear cook fetch her for me and want to ask her something"

So she did and brought our disguised princess to him and all he asked was "Where did you get this Golden spool?"

"It was one of my few possessions given to me by my mother and I thought it only fair to give it to you".

After hearing her reply it than that our Prince Ichigo suspected that Deer skin and the girl he danced were one and same but he needed more proof before he could confirm it.

Okay, dear Listeners I feel a little lazy so I will just what happened next. At the next ball the same things happened only this Orhime dressed her dress as golden as the sun and this the Prince found a pair hairpins in his soup. So the same scenario happened with same replies.

At third and final ball Orihime put her ring in the soup and after dressed in her dress as glittery as the stars. But what happened next was a lot different as fate would have it. Orihime had stayed too long and thus had no time to change clothes and just hoped that no one noticed her dress under deerskin cloak.

Once the Prince found the ring he immediately ordered ever girl at the ball including servants to try it on but only the girls around his age of course. Ever girl tried it but could not fit it. "Is there not any other girl here who can try it on?"

"There is Deerskin my Lord but she is just a common scullery maid hardly worth your notice" the guard answered.

"Well, let her try ring on anyway and we'll see happens" Ichigo said.

When Orihime heard she was to see the Prince to try on the ring she felt giddy with joy as this was her chance to be with the person she loved. Also she would be free from her father's pursuits. When she walked and tried on the ring people were stunned silent that fit just perfectly.

Ichigo took off her cloaked and replied "I suspected that you and Deerskin were the same person with you fitting the ring I now have proof."

They kissed my dear listeners oh they kissed like there was no tomorrow. Than Ichigo took her to meet his family who were happy that Ichigo had chosen someone so kind to be his bride. But his sister Karin asked "Why did you pretend to be a scullery maid."

Orihime knew this would come up and replied sadly "My father is King Aki and my mother was Queen Aika Inoue. When mother died she told my father only to marry someone as beautiful as her. When I turned 17 my father noticed that I was near splitting image of my mother. Being struck with grief for so long he thought that by marrying me he could fill my mother dying wish."

Everyone was stunned by this revelation and Ichigo made a vow to protect her from her father if need ever arose. They then announced their engagement to the kingdom and the people where glad that prince had a bride at last. But this is not the end of the story yet dear listeners we still have to resolve issue with King Aki which will be told another day.

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Sorry readers that it took so long to update but thank you for being with me

*Hugs Everyone*

Also if you have any questions please send me a pm.


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